The early reviews for Apple's $US5,000 iMac Pro are in, and they're glowing

Early reviews, from professional photographers and programmers, are positive.

Apple’s most expensive and most powerful computer, the iMac Pro, goes on sale on Thursday.

It’s aimed at audio, video, and software development professionals who need a lot of computing power.

But before you decide to spend $US5,000 or more on a new desktop computer, you probably want to know if it’s going to be worth it.

Apple, as it usually does, gave early access to a few reviewers to test the new rig for a week. But since the new iMac Pro is a niche machine, the early reviews are from “pro users.” Here’s what they thought:

Craig Hunter, aerospace engineering and programming

Apple

“I spent just short of a week running the machine through my typical workflows in aerospace engineering and software development, and also ran some benchmarks and tests. The iMac Pro made strong impressions on me in terms of performance and productivity.”

“Sitting alongside my silver iMac, the iMac Pro lurked off to the side like a silent Darth Vader, just waiting to kick some arse.”

Vincent Laforet, director and photographer

Apple

“I found a very consistent set of results:a 2X to 3X boost in speed (relative to my current iMac and MacBook Pro 15″) a noticeable leap from most generational jumps that are generally ten times smaller.”

“In short – this is a KILLER machine for any serious photographer, filmmaker, or VR producer. Period. “

Marques Brownlee, videographer and YouTuber

“It’s really easy to hate on the new iMac Pro because it’s very expensive and also not upgradeable at all. What kind of “pro” machine isn’t upgradeable? And that’s definitely its biggest weakness for sure. But for the hardware inside and the actual specs you’re getting it’s actually a fairly-priced machine.”

“Long story short, I really like it so far. It feels like the ideal high-end YouTuber Final Cut Pro machine. “

Watch Brownlee’s entire first-impressions video above.

Jonathan Morrison, YouTuber

“On the outside it looks like an iMac with a space grey finish, but on the inside it is clearly a different story.”